Sears Scores Triple

Brian Sears drove three winners, including 39-1 Yankee Slide, as the Breeders Crown at Woodbine Racetrack saw a typical mixed bag of favorites, not so favorites and longshots walk into the winner's circle Saturday night in Toronto.



Sears capped off the evening's eight Breeders Crown races with an iron-tough first-over drive to victory in the $555,000 3-Year-Old Colt Pace with Western Terror. The Western Hanover colt overhauled Geartogear in deep stretch for the victory while holding off race favorite Quick Pulse Mindale by a length at the wire in 1:50.2. Perfect World Enterprises owns the colt trained by Brett Pelling.



While the World Series may have started in Fenway Park on this night, it was the Housethatruthbuilt and Sears who once again dominated her foes in the $500,000 3-Year-Old Filly Trot. Taking control just after the half, the Muscles Yankee lass was a stakes and track record winner in 1:53.3 with Bramasole making a rally up the pylons for second and In The Shell finishing third. Patricia Spinelli and Ted Gerwertz own the winner trained by Trond Smedshammer.



Sears third victory of the evening came in stunning fashion when he rallied 39-1 Yankee Slide in the stretch to catch 7-1 Cincinnati Kid and post a 1 1/4-length victory in the $500,000 3-Year-Old Colt Trot in 1:54.4. Cantab Hall, the race favorite, came from seventh at the head of the stretch to finish third. Joseph Pennacchio owns the Steve Elliot-trained winning son of Self Possessed.



Favorites Rainbow Blue and Ken Warkentin each captured their respective Crowns. In the $610,000 3-Year-Old Filly Pace Rainbow Blue (Ron Pierce) was an easy 1 1/4-length winner over Invitro with L Dees Val third. It was the 17th victory in 18 starts this year for the daughter of Artiscape owned by K And R Racing LLC and Teague Inc. and trained by George Teague.



Ken Warkentin (David Miller) locked up divisional honors with a 1:57.1 victory in the $525,900 2-Year-Old Colt Trot, his eighth triumph in nine starts, but he had to work to earn the victory. After taking the lead just past the opening quarter, he was challenged by Southfork at the three quarters. But it wasn't until the pair neared the wire in a 27-second final panel that Ken Warkentin put away his foe and won by a length. Travelin Lite was third. Jimmy Takter trains the winning son of Yankee Glide for his wife, Christina, John Fielding and Tie Domi.



The victory with Ken Warkentin marked a training double on the evening for Takter. In the first Crown event on the card, Flirtin Miss (John Campbell) moved into the lead on the backstretch, then held off stablemate and race favorite Solveig for a track record 1:56.1 victory. Strong Tea was third. The winning Malabar Man filly is owned by Brittany Farms.



When the field turned for home in the $576,800 Two-Year-Old Filly Pace Restive Hanover (Andy Miller) was second-over behind Fast Ruffles as Cabrini Hanover led the field. But in a final quarter paced faster than :26.3, Restive Hanover blew past the leaders and won in a romp by 3 3/4 lengths over Fast Ruffles with Savannah Sky coming on to be third. Ervin Miller trains the winning filly by The Panderosa for Anthony McEldowny and the Starmaker Farm.



The only wire-to-wire winner on the evening was Village Jolt (Ron Pierce) in the $663,200 Two-Year-Old Colt Pace, and he did it from post 10. He only needed a 27-second first quarter to take the lead, then paced a :26.2 final panel to put the race on ice, winning by 4 1/4 lengths over Allamerican Inca, who was a nose better than Shanghai Phil. Jeffrey Snyder and Arlene and Jules Siegel own the winning son of Cam's Card Shark, who is trained by Ed Hart.

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